Discovered in 1803, this noble metal was not widely used in jewelry until Platinum was taken from the hands of jewelers to be used as a strategic metal in World War II. Palladium at that time was mostly used as an alloy with gold to make white gold. Because casting was difficult with Palladium, it actually had a higher cost than Platinum as recently as 2001. Palladium is still a challenge for jewelry designers and manufacturers, while many of the casting difficulties have been overcome, there is still work to be done to fine tune the manufacturing use of this metal.
At Jewelry By Design we began to use Palladium in 2006, we have found that it is a great option for fine jewelry because it has similar properties to Platinum. It does not tarnish or change color over time. It is a naturally occurring white metal; where white gold takes gold and adds alloys of other metals to make it white, Palladium and Platinum come out of the ground white and do not require any kind of plating to create their bright white color or maintain it.
Palladium used in jewelry is 95% pure, as is Platinum. You will see Palladium pieces marked 950PD. White gold because of the other alloys involved is only 75% pure in 18k or 58.5% pure in 14k that means that you are getting more precious metal for your investment with Palladium. It also means that it is a great option for those who have metal sensitivities, because it is pure it is hypoallergenic.
Palladium differs from Platinum in its weight and its color. Palladium is the least dense of the Platinum Group metals so it weighs much less. If I put a Platinum ring in one hand and a Palladium ring in the other, you would be able to tell straight away which was which. It is also a slightly different color, although both are naturally white and retain that throughout their lifetime.
Palladium and Platinum will both scratch more easily than gold but their durability over time is unparalleled. Clients are often worried that the scratching is damaging to their rings. Actually, while it is visible like a pair of leather shoes being scuffed over time, Palladium on a molecular level is just being pushed around where white gold is actually being chipped away. This allows fine metal work and prongs to wear significantly better over time. Filigree work in rings from the turn of the century have survived in tact, where gold rings of the same work would have completely worn away.
Palladium has become an intricate part of our pieces at Jewelry By Design, its properties add strength and value to our jewelry and make it a great choice for clients who want affordable naturally white metal.
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